Start ’em, Sit ’em: Montgomery can run or catch his way into your lineup

Jeremy Kolok

Sports Blogger

Start ‘em

Ty Montgomery, wide receiver, Green Bay Packers

Because of his versatility, Green Bay’s Ty Montgomery should have a spot in your fantasy lineup.(Jake Petroski, Flickr)

Montgomery is a fantasy owner’s dream, because he can be played as a wide receiver or a running back, and he’ll rack up points from both positions. Montgomery hauled in 10 passes in his only two games in the Packers’ starting lineup. He’s gaining trust from quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay coaching staff, and his receiving workload should increase even more in a Week 8 matchup against a shaky Falcons defense. However, his upside as a running back may be higher than as a receiver. Last week, Montgomery spent 48 of his 60 played snaps in the backfield and finished with 60 rushing yards. The only thing missing from Montgomery’s two big performances is a trip to the end zone, but the fact that he’s practically playing the role of both a starting running back and wide receiver is enough of a reason to put him in your lineup.

Jason Witten, tight end, Dallas Cowboys

A number of factors tie in to my expectations for Witten to have a good fantasy outing Sunday. The Cowboys are matched up with the stellar Philadelphia Eagles defense. I expect them to blitz rookie signal caller Dak Prescott in an effort to fluster him. Despite receiver Dez Bryant likely returning for the Cowboys, Prescott will look for Witten on short routes underneath the coverage when under pressure.

Jacquizz Rodgers, running back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rodgers moved into the starting role after Doug Martin and Charles Sims were both sidelined with injures. A 101-yard performance on 30 rushes in Week 5 gave Rodgers a hefty 19 fantasy points in standard leagues, however, he was supposed to move back to the secondary running back option for Tampa Bay with Martin expected to return in Week 7 after the bye. Well, that didn’t happen. Martin stayed off the field and Rodgers again impressed with a 154-yard performance on 26 carries for 18 fantasy points. For Week 8, Rodgers will likely again get the ball over 25 times, and I’d be shocked if he doesn’t have another 100-plus yard performance.

Sit ‘em

Hunter Henry, tight end, San Diego Chargers

In weeks four through six, rookie Hunter Henry put up monstrous numbers, despite a low number of targets. It was largely because he scored a touchdown in each of those three weeks. Henry put up a pair of 16-point fantasy weeks, and hit 20 points on only six receptions in Week 6. However, in Week 7, Henry’s production took a hit when veteran Antonio Gates saw more routes, targets and receptions than him. Henry was evaluated for a concussion after Sunday’s game, so he may not be cleared to play this week. But if he does, his upside is very limited due to Gates stealing his prominent role back in the offense.

Dez Bryant, wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys

Bryant has missed the past three games due to a knee injury, but coming off the bye, he’s expected to play in Dallas’ Sunday night matchup with the Eagles. Bryant has historically torched the Eagles defense, however, my advice would be to not play him this week. Before he was sidelined, Bryant scored only one touchdown in three games, and had one performance with over 50 receiving yards. He doesn’t seem to be on the same page as rookie quarterback Dak Prescott yet, and Bryant missing four weeks certainly didn’t help build that chemistry. Bryant will likely see frequent double coverage from Philadelphia Sunday night, which will open up other options for the Dallas offense, but doesn’t help Bryant’s fantasy owners. Sit Dez Bryant this week. He’ll have his comeback outing week 9 against Cleveland.

Allen Robinson, wide receiver, Jacksonville Jaguars

Robinson had a decent start to the season but has been awful recently. Since the Week 5 bye, Robinson has totaled five catches in two games. While some of his struggles can be linked to the subpar play of quarterback Blake Bortles, Robinson’s stats still don’t help his case. He’s caught less than 50 percent of balls thrown his way and leads the team in dropped passes. His two-point fantasy performance Week 7 should be the final straw. Until Robinson can prove he’s a valuable fantasy asset, even stashing him at the FLEX is a stretch, except for in the deepest leagues. Regardless of the Jaguars matchup with an unpredictable Tennessee defense, Robinson should be on the bench this week.